Machine for handling bricks.



R. C. PENPIELD.

MACHINE FOR HANDLING BRICKS- APPLICATION mum 001*. s, was.

Patented NOV. 1,.1910.

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& o| IIl|||||llllllllllblll lllrlll llllnlll lr ATTORNEY R. G. PENPIELD. MACHINE FOR HANDLING BRICKS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.8, 1908.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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R. G. PENFIELD.

MACHINE FOR HANDLING BRICKS.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 8, 1908.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMONTD C. PENFIELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR HANDLING IBIBICK S.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Application filed October 8, 1908. Serial No. 456,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, RAYMOND C. PEN- FIELD, a citizen of the United. States of America, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements'in Machines for. Handling Bricks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to a machine for handling bricks, said machine being of the class employing a method described and claimed in my co-pending application for Letters Patent, filed October 8,

1908, Serial Number 456,692, which method consists essentially in lifting a mass of material, such as brick, by power applied horizontally at the ends of the base of the mass of material, said base being shorter than the rest of the mass and consisting of a number of detached blocks laid close to each other without any openings between. 111' the same co-pending a plication, I have also described and c aimed a form of mechanism for carrying the method into effect, which mechanism comprises essentially a pair of clamping members designed to exert their pressure laterally against the ends of the shorter basic layer of bricks, and said clamping members being actuated by suitable loverage means carried by a vertically-disposed frame. Y

My present invention consists in novel and ingeniousmechanism for accomplishing the same object as that sought for in my copending application referred to, and performing the same method of o eration. It

differs, however, in mechanica details for effecting the clamping at the ends of the lower tier'of bricks.

The invention, therefore, consists essentially in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, and in numerous details and peculiarities thereof, substantially -as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating myinvention, Figure 1 is an elevational view of my improved machine for handling one of the clamping plates.

Similar characters of reference designate correspondintg lparts throughout the different figures o t e drawings.

The main frame of the apparatus is of a general upright construction, in order that it may lie alongside of the stack formation of brick in proper position to permit the clamping members at the bottom end thereof to be projected at the ends of the shorter basic layer for the purpose of tightly clamping the latter, and soalso that the upper laterally-turned portion of the frame may project over the mass of brick. so as to be in a position to be suitably engaged by a lifting crane or other device at a''point where the mass can be supported without'interfering with its center of gravity. This main frame in the present example of the invention consists essentially of two inclined bars 1, 1 secured near their upper ends to central uprights 9, which-are turned at their upper ends, at 2, said laterally-turned upper ends being secured together by means of a bolt 3'. Between the laterally-turned ends 2 a'horizontal lever 4 is fulcrumed upon saidbolt 3, and tothis horizontal lever is pivoted an eye 5, to which a lifting crane may be attached. At the opposite end of the lever 4 from its pivot 3 a cross head 6 is pivotally hung by means of a bolt 7. To the opposite inclined links 8 which extend downwardly alongside of the inclined bars 1, 1 of the main frame. The frame also comprises the aforesaid pair of parallel uprights 9, 910- cated between the inclined .bars 1, said uprights being united to the bars 1, 1 near the top of the frame, and at the bottom bein secured to a block. 10 which is made integra with or is firmly attached to a base frame 11. To this base frame 11 the lower ends of the inclined bars larebolted as shown in Fig. 1. The base frame 11 is a horizontal rectangular structure illustrated full in Figs."2 and 3. Its form may vary wide y provided only that it is so shaped as to accommodate there'- in the mechanical elements at the base of and the devices for operating them.

The lower ends of the long links 'or arms 8, 8 are pivoted to long transverse levers12 which cross each other, and are placed substantially horizontal, and the opposite ends of which are rigidly attached to horizontal lower frame 11. These rock shafts, moreends of the cross head 6 are pivoted two long the machine, including the clamping plates rock shafts 13suitably journaled in the over, are rovided with rigid crank arms 14, each sha t having'preferably two of these arms, and said arms'are pivoted to the rear faces of the clamping plates 15. In order to enable this pivoting to be accomplished with facility and strength,'I preferably pro.- vide on the rear faces of said clamping plates pairs of ears a a as shown in Fig. 5, the

"crank arms- 14 bein'gpivoted between the members of these pairs of ears. The clamping plates 15 have vertical faces as shown'in Figs. 1 and 2, and preferably at the top and bottom they are built. with broad, flat flanges 16' which, if desired, may rest beneath the overhanging'edges of the upper mass of brick which projects over the ends of the shorter basic layer. I am not restricted, however, to making the clamping plates15 with these broad flanges 16, as they may be omitted if desired, though in that case the plates themselves might be made sufliciently thick to furnish broad upper edges. In a word, however, the detailed construction, shape, dimensionsand general plan of the clamping plates may vary within; wide llmits, it being only essential that they should be so=made as to be able topexert a very strong clamping effect against .the ends ofthe lower tier of brick. It is found desirable in the operation of clamping plates of, this kind,in order to keep the clamping faces vertical duringthe movement of the clamps, that I should use additional arms I similar to the arms 14 and. pivoted to the for pur oses of shipment and otherwise. It

is possi le, however, that the machine mi ht be utilized'with 'a mass .of loosely set brick arranged for drying or burning, provided, of course, the lower layer is set solid and ,WlthOllt any openings hetwpenthe members or units. The p.ai r o'f' clamps 15, when the -ma'cliii1 is about to be used, apply their gripping faces to the ends of the lower course of bucks and by tightly clampin the same enable the mass of superposed brie s to be lifted as the result of the horizontal st-rainimparted to the basic layer. At times, however, if desired, a vertical lifting strain may be exerted by: the upper edges or faces of the clamps beneath the overhanging parts of the upper mass simultaneously with the lateral clamping effect produced by binding the clamps horlzontally against the ends of the lower course' The employment of" long levers, as 12, at the base of the machine,

which are actuated by the long" links running to the top of the frame, enables a very strong clamping efiect tobe produced.

In the operation of the machine, some suitable lifting crane or other supporting means will be'caused to engage the eye 5 at the top of the frame, and this will oscillate the lever 4 upon its pivot and draw the two links" 8, 8 upwardly, which will rock the shafts 13 in their bearin s, thereby actuating the crank, arms 14 which are pivoted to the clamping plates 15, and forcing the clamping plates toward each other and against the ends of the short lower tier of brick. Atorsional strain is imparted to the shafts 13, 13, as the result of th'e action thereon of the long levels 12, and the power 1 with which the cranks 14 urge the clamps 15 against the briek is very great indeed. In other machines similar purpose, some of which I have invented and patented, and others of which certain of" my ented, theinitial lifting movement on the frame operates automatically to actuate clamping devices at the base and cause them toengage the brick after a certain fashion, entirely-different, however,

from my Present machine. But in those cases the lever at the top of the vertically- "disposed main frame has generally been arranged so that when the crane lifts the machine certain thrust bars will operate downwardly againstlevers at the base of the machine for the purpose of causing the clamps to dov their duty; but in my mechanism, in the present instance, I have departed widely contemporaries have pat-.

having alike function and from that function by substituting therefor an action which is such that when the crane lifts the lever at the top of the frame, the

links connected to said lever through the cross head, as. described, will lift the long levers at the base, so that the operation does not involve a thrusting action Y downwardly, but a ulling action'upwardly. As the result of scribe is successfully practiced, and I am enabled to grip with perfect case a lower course of brick in such a way as to lift and transport the entire mass. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toseeureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A brick handling machine, comprising a main frame, a air of clamps at thebase for gripping the rick, means for actuating said clam s consisting essentially of horizontal roc shafts having rigid arms thereon which are ivotally connected to the clamps toprovi e a parallel motion mecha nism for each clamp, crosswise arranged le-' vers secured to said rock shafts, liftin bars pivotally connected to the ends of sald lethis, the very strong and effective. levera e action which I have above de vers, and means for jointly actuating said l iftin bars.

2. machine for handling brick, comprising-a main frame, a'pair of clamps, shafts having Ilgld arms thereon which are pivotally connected to the clamps to provide a parallel motion mechanism for each clamp, crosswise arranged levers secured to the shafts, lifting means pivotally connected to said levers, and means for j olntly actuating said lifting means consistin of a lever at the top of the machine to w ich the lifting crane applies its power.

3. A machine for handling masses of material, comprisin a vertically disposed frame, a pair of 0 amps at the lower end for exerting pressure against the o posite ends of the lower course of brick, roc shafts supported 'alo'n ide of said clamps, rigid arms on said roc shafts pivotally connected to the clamps, long'horizontal levers arranged crosswise of each other and of the machine alaterally projected uplper part,.a pair 0 clamping members at t elower end of the frame. for exerting ressure against the ends of the lower tier ofqirick, a pair of horizontally disposed long levers arranged crosswise ofleac'h other, means consisting of horizontalrock shafts having rigid arms thereon which are pivotally connected to the clamping members to provide a parallel motion mechanism ,for each clamping member, whereby the power of said levers is applied to the clamps, and means for actuating said levers to effect the clamping.

5. A machine for handling bricks, com prising a vertical frame, a laterally extend- 1n a ir of laterally extending clamps at t e Ease of th frame rock shafts having arms movabl connected to the clamps to provide a paral e1 motion mechanism for each clamp, levers secured to the rock shafts, lifting bars pivoted to said levers, and means for raising the lifting bars when the lifting power is applied to lift the machine.

6. A machine for handling bricks, comprising a vertical frame, a laterally extendmg arm on the :(ppprend thereof, supporting means carri y the outer end of said arm a carried y the lower end of the frame and gripping the bricks, rock-shafts having rigid arms ivotally connected to said clamps to provi e a parallel motion mechanism for each clamp for actuating the latter, and lifting bars pivotall connected to said levers and jointly raise by the supporting means at the u per end of the frame.

7. A rick handling machine, com risin a main frame, an ,arm at the top t ereo supportin means carried by said arm, a

air of 0 amps at the. lower end of the name, means for actuatin the clamps consisting essentially of sha s each havlng a pair of arms ivotally connected to th y clamps to provi e a parallel motion mechanism for each clamp, levers arran ed crosswise of each other and secured to t e shafts, and connections between said levers and the arm at the top of the frame.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMOND C. PENFIELD.

Witnesses:

FRANK PAUL, G. B. Sonnonnnn.

arm on the upper end thereof, a sin 1e air of laterally extending clamps 

